Water system



Aug. 7, 192s. 1,679,489

C. E. PAGE ET AL WATER SYSTEM Filed Sept. 28, 1925 Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES IB. PAGE AND WARREN DEAN BURTON, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN ORS i Y T0 GEORGE W. DULANY, JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER SYSTEMS.`

Application led September 28,V 1925. Serial No. 58,996.

This invention relates to power plants in which steam is condensed after expansion in a prime mover and returned to the boiler. The invention is especially applicable to an automotive vehicle, as, for example, a locomotive ora railway car driven by a. steam engine or a steam turbine. The objectof the invention, generally stated, is to provide an etficientsystem adapted to contain suicientwater for supplying feed water to the boiler and cooling water to the condenser, means being provided to vheat the water supplied to the boiler and to cool the water that is used in the condenser.

The accompanying drawing is a diagram of a water system embodying the features of our invention.

Reference may be made to our copending application Serial No. 62,062 filed Oct..12, 1925, for a disclosure of a steam turbinedriven railway car to which the present invention is especially, although not exclusively, applicable. Exhaust steam from the turbine or turbines is conducted through a pipe 1 to the header 2 of a radiator or condenser 3. Water is sprayed upon the steam in the header 2 by means of a perforated pipe 4 within said header. The cooling water and water of condensation is collected in the lower header 5, whence it flows through a pipe 6 to a sump 7 preferably located at the lowest point in the system. From the sump 7 water is forced by a pump 8 through a pipe 9 to a storage tank 10, the upper end of which is open to atmospheric pressure. Water is withdrawn from the lower portion of the storage tank 10 through a pipe 11 by means of a pump 12 and forced through a pipe 13 to the upper end of a radiator 14 preferably located at the forward end of the car. From the lower end of the radiator water flows through a pipe 15 to the perforated pipe 4 within the header 2. y

A by-pass pipe 15a extends from the pipe 13 to the pipe 15. 15b is a normally closed valve in said by-pass pipe. A normally open valve 15C is provided in the pipe 13 between the radiator 14 and the junction of the pipes 13 and 15a. Another normally open valve 151 is located in the pipe 15 between the radiator and the junction of the pipes 15 and 15a. It will be seen that in case of damage to the radiator 14, the valves 15c and 15d may be closed and the valve 15b opened to permit of continued operation.

A hot well 16 is connected at its lower end to the lower portion of the storage tank 10- by means of an equalizing ipe 17. The upper end of the hot well 16 1s open to atmospheric pressure. Air which may enter the water system is withdrawn from the lower header 5 by means of an air ejector 13 ofany preferred characteiysaid ejector being connected to the header 5 by a pipe 19. The air ejector herein shown comprises a Venturi tube 2O through which steam is discharged fromA a nozzle 21. The mixture of 'steam and air leaving the ejector 18 flows through a pipe 22 to the hot well 16, from which the air. escapes, the steam serving to heat the .water 1n the hot well. Water is withdrawn rectly from the pipe 17 to the pipe 23, the

end of the pipe 17 is extended into the het well and directed away from the outlet of the hot well, asindicated at 28, and a battle or partition 29 is provided in the hot well between the inlet 28 and the outlet 23. The steam pipe 22 may enter the hot well at any preferred point;it is herein shown as discharging steam and air at or just below the level of the upper end of the partition 29.

The major portion of the water in the system is contained in the cool-water storage tank 10. Before delivery to the boiler, the water is warmed in the hot well 16, the latter being relatively small, for elliciency in the pre-heating of the boiler feed water. Vater which is to be used to assist in the condensation of steam is withdrawn from the body of cool water in the tank 10 and is further cooled by means of the radiator 14. It will therefore be seen that the coldest water is employed for spraying the steam, thus obtaining a high degree of efficiency.

We claim as our invention:

1. A Water system comprising, in combination, a radiator for condensing steam, a f

water from the sump to the storage tank, a relatively smail hot Well, an equalizing pipe connecting the lower portions of said storage tank and hot Well, an air ejector for withdrawing air from the radiator', said ejector comprising a steam nozzle, the mixture of air and steam being delivered to said hot Well, a pump for delivering hot boiler feed Water from the hot Well, a second radiator, a spray pipe operatively related to the iirst radiator, and a pump for forcing cool water from said storage tank through the second radiator and thence to said spray pipe.

2. A water system comprising, in combination, a radiator for condensing steam, a. cool water storage tank receiving water from the radiator, a relatively small hot well, an equalizing pipe connecting the lower portions of said storage tank and het vfell, means to heat the Water in the hot Well, a pump 'for delivering hot boiler 'feed-water from the hot Well, a second radiator, a spray pipe operatively related to the lirst radiator, and a pump for forcing cool water from said storage tank through the second radiator and thence. to said spray pipe.

3. A Water system comprising, in combian equalizing pipe connecting the lower portions of said storage tank and hot well, an air ejector for withdrawing air from the radiator, said ejector comprising a steam nozzle, the mixture of air and steam heilig delivered to said hot Well, a pump for de livering hot boiler feed water from the hot` Well, a spray pipe operatively related to the radiator, and a pump for forcing cool water from said storage tank to said spray pipe.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto ailixed our signatures.

CHARLES B. PAGE. VARREN DEAN BURTON. 

